Woolford: Police officer killed after common traffic stop

Ashland Police Chief Lyn Woolford said Monday that the killing of a Clinton Police officer should serve as a reminder that officers don’t know what they will be approaching during any stop or call for service.

The manhunt for Ian James McCarthy, of Clinton, ended Tuesday evening without incident. McCarthy has been charged with first degree murder in the killing of Clinton Police officer Gary Michael, 37, who had been on the force for less than a year.

McCarthy allegedly shot Michael after being pulled over for an expired license plate.

“That officer was killed on an expired plate stop,” Woolford said Monday, shaking his head. “It just shows what we all learn, that there is no routine call.”

The shooting happened about 10:45 p.m. on Sunday and McCarthy allegedly drove away, crashed his SUV and then fled on foot.

Woolford said it was easy to draw comparisons of Clinton, population about 9,000, to Ashland and that local officers know this is a situation that could happen anywhere.

“People always think their small town is safe, or, ‘it’s just Ashland,'” Woolford said. “But we have a busy highway going through town and we work to be safe.”